Chapter 19: A Vital Clue

Qin Yu was unaware of this. The case remained at a standstill that day. With a heavy heart, Qin Yu returned to his residence. A profound sense of crisis compelled him to devote himself to cultivation immediately after his meal, practicing until he was utterly exhausted before bathing and retiring for the night, maintaining a disciplined lifestyle. The next morning, Qin Yu arrived at the Supreme Court as usual, though he did not head to his office.

The weight that had been pressing on Huyan Nuanxin’s heart seemed to have lifted, and she felt her breathing grow easier. She did not notice General Huyan’s gaze upon her, which grew increasingly profound and filled with scrutiny. In her chambers, she had been wearing casual attire—a nearly new, mauve-colored, thin, front-opening jacket—but now she had draped a thick, charcoal-black velvet cloak over her shoulders, warding off the chill.

Everyone held their breath, not daring to move a muscle. No one could have predicted that the expedition into the marsh, which had once seemed a sure success, would turn into such a convoluted, bizarre, and perilous ordeal.

Lu Mang did not hold back, raising his broadsword to strike at Qi Ming. Qi Ming dodged to the side, and when the blow missed, Lu Mang immediately swung again. Qi Ming leaned toward the side of his horse, barely evading the strike. As Lu Mang’s next blow descended, Qi Ming raised his spear, just managing to block the heavy blade.

"Tang Ming oppa, I’m telling you, if it weren’t for the fact that Lee Sung-min unnie never gave up on you while you were ill, I would never have allowed him to enter this house," Park Chorong said, expressing her stance in a low voice to the man before her.

Her face had healed completely by the beginning of the month, flawless and even more radiant than before. To show her gratitude, she had specially presented a silk banner, then paid a lump sum of one hundred thousand to the salon and purchased their most expensive annual membership, valued at two hundred and thirty thousand. From that day on, she became a staunch, loyal customer of the Anran Beauty Salon.

Two more men stopped breathing; they didn't even have time to scream before their bodies stiffened and they collapsed.

Li Xueling brewed tea for her using honey and rose petals collected during the summer, which served to soothe both her throat and her spirits.

In the blink of an eye, the Qixi Festival arrived. The imperial court had declared a day of rest, and though she rarely had to rush for the morning audience, she still found herself waking up well before the fourth watch.

Every blade of grass, every tree, and every stone in the Prince’s manor had been specially transported there by the Prince of Qin from various regions.

The melancholy that had shrouded her during her long residence in Junan City exhaled from her chest, purified by the mist of the mountain forest. Her mind, body, and spirit felt as empty and expansive as the silent, secluded valley of Aling she imagined before her.

The two magical artifacts that had imprisoned the Green-Faced Demon lost the support of their master’s spiritual power, instantly dulling and falling to the ground.

Consequently, for the past month, Gu Changqing had remained at home, painting talismans and practicing his spells.

It had to be said that the attire of the Xiaoyao Sect was extremely plain; for a moment, He Ergou could find nothing of value to sell.

Following the security guard to the second floor of the club, they entered a resplendent office where gold was the dominant theme, with even the furniture trimmed in gilded edges.

Qian He did not know how to explain the situation to Mo Chongxi. After much deliberation, he decided to consult with Gu Changqing first, as Gu Changqing had a clear, bird's-eye view of the entire affair.

The guards and jailers struck the iron cell door with swords and blades, but it felt as ineffective as infantry firing assault rifles at a heavy tank—aside from a shower of sparks, it accomplished nothing.

After being struck in the face, Kakashi nearly choked on his own saliva; he quickly lowered his head, coughed, and gazed into the distance.

In the days that followed, whenever Yang Hanyu came looking for them, Xiao Hanyin would take the initiative to avoid her.

Lady Bailing tossed and turned on her swaying couch, her ears filled with the sound of waves crashing against the hull of the ship.

"..." Ai Lin rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the bed. Thinking of something, she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

Although Lu Ming had always bullied and suppressed him, they had grown up together in the Lu household. In the past, when Lu Tianlang had targeted him, he had always left him a way out, but this time, the attack had been ruthless.

"In any case, we cannot be careless about this. Now that Sun Chuanhe is dead—if he hadn't died, it would have been difficult to clear up the accounts. Has that bastard Sun Qi been found yet?" Cheng Qianhe asked, frowning.

Come to think of it, Lin Ziyu was the one betrothed to her, yet here she was, openly bickering with others out of jealousy.

"Design my life? You wish. I am a designer, yes, but I only design the lives of others. As for you, you aren't worth it." Gu Xiaomeng smiled dismissively and walked toward the hot spring resort. Ding Changsheng followed behind, helpless.

The Overturning Flood Dragon was already terrifying enough; if it were to truly lose all restraint and fly into a rage, it would be difficult for even a peerless master at the pinnacle of the Martial Venerable Realm to survive, let alone one at the Great Completion stage.

"Hmph..." The head of the Ling family grunted. Looking at the fire spreading ever wider, he turned and hauled her out of the back garden.

The two armies were locked in a brutal slaughter, completely unaware of the anomaly behind them. The Emperor of Dong Sui watched with a gloomy expression as the two tigers fought.

"This Purity Realm must have been cleaved by immense force. A fracture this large could not have appeared on its own," the Fairy of the Profound Mirror said, filled with doubt.

Yet, after Ding Changsheng refused, he still found himself drinking the wine offered to him. This was mainly because, after Chen Hanchiu had left, his guard against Tang Lingling had dropped significantly, and he failed to maintain his necessary vigilance in the face of her wine-fueled offensive.

Normally, an outsider would avoid such a situation, but Lin Yi felt no need to shy away; instead, she knocked directly on the door.

Bai Wei had actually been hiding in a bamboo forest on the outskirts of Qingshan County all along, moving silently since reaching the Heavenly Realm.

Yuan Zheng frowned. He had never heard of the Third Prince or the Sixth Prince. By seniority, they were his cousins, but regrettably, he had never met them.

"Yet this technique of yours allows for the dual cultivation of soul and body. I must say, the predecessor who created this technique was truly remarkable."

Before this teacher, she always felt like a transparent person; she knew exactly what was in her mind.

Finally, she waited for Mu Nianchen. When Ruan Tian got into the car, she remembered to lock the door. The car had been running the entire time, so there was no risk of oxygen deprivation.

Murong Bo watched the retreating army of Jiang Yan with a dark expression, his thoughts unreadable. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he sighed and led his own troops, along with the saved Xianbei soldiers, back toward the main camp.